1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat switch assembly, and more particularly, to a seat switch assembly which has enhanced durability and which is applied to a seat warmer, an unattended start device, or the like of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles are required to not only function as a transport means but also function as a means for providing a variety of conveniences such as a reliable and convenient driving environment for a driver or the like and also function safely to prevent unattended starts. The safety function is added to an ignition switch of a vehicle in order to allow a driving force from engine to be transmitted to an axle only after a driver has occupied the driver's seat. Therefore, vehicles are provided with a variety of convenience devices and safety devices and a variety of switches for operating and controlling them.
In the case of an apparatus which is typically required to operate in both directions, for example, a window of a vehicle, a see-saw switch or a sliding switch, which responds to the operation of the front end and the rear end of the window when the window moves in the top-bottom direction, is used. In particular, since a variety of switches and convenience devices are disposed around the driver's seat, the switches are required to have closely-related structures, and it is an essential requirement to prevent the switches from interfering with each other.
A seat switch for controlling the supply of power to hot wires provided in the vehicle seat or a push type tact switch which is manipulated by only the driver's occupation of the seat even if the driver directly manipulates it is used. Since the push type tact switch is disposed in the lower portion of the seat and the weight of the driver is repeatedly applied, it must have high durability.
Related-art techniques including multistage push button switches, seat warmer switches, return switches, switch devices and the like are disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-0774715 (Nov. 8, 2007), Korean Laid-Open Utility Model No. 20-2010-0006924 (Jul. 8, 2010), Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0103063 (Sep. 27, 2010) and Korean Patent No. 10-1099067 (Dec. 26, 2011) which were previously filed and were already published or patented.
Here, according to “MULTISTAGE PUSH BUTTON SWITCH FOR VEHICLE SEAT WARMER” in Korean Patent No. 10-0774715 (Nov. 8, 2007), whenever a push operation part 10 is pushed, a rotating part 40 rotates a certain angle so that switch terminals S3 and S4 of the rotating part 40 are sequentially connected to a seat cushion hot wire terminal S5, a thermostat terminal S6 and an off terminal S7 of an output 20.
In addition, according to “SEAT WARMER SWITCH FOR VEHICLE” in Korean Laid-Open Utility Model No. 20-2010-0006924 (Jul. 8, 2010), a switch slider 230 moves in the top-bottom direction together with a switch knob 210 so that a slider fixing terminal 420 and a slider movable terminal 410 are connected to each other.
Furthermore, according to “RETURN SWITCH FOR VEHICLE” in Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0103063 (Sep. 27, 2010), two contact balls 32 which are elastically supported on a contact point spring 34 move in the top-bottom direction together with a pressing portion 20 so as to be connected to a contact portion 40.
In addition, according to “PUSH OPERATING SWITCH DEVICE” in Korean Patent No. 10-1099067 (Dec. 26, 2011), a driving protrusion 9 moves downward together with a manipulation member 7 to press an inversion spring 8 so that a central fixed contact 11 to which two terminals 13 are connected is connected to a peripheral fixed contact 12.
However, the related-art techniques as described above have the following problems: There is a danger of defective connection when the switch terminal, the seat cushion hot wire terminal, the thermostat terminal and the off terminal are abraded due to repeated rotation of the rotating part. Defective connection may occur due to the decreased elasticity when the coil spring which pushes the slider movable terminal which adjoins to the slider fixed terminal is used for a long time. Defective connection may occur due to the decreased elasticity when the contact point spring which pushes the two contact balls which adjoin to the ground portion is used for a long time. In the case of the inversion spring, since the inversion spring is constructed of a thin plate into the shape of a dome, it does not properly act when used repeatedly for a long time.
The information disclosed in the Background of the Invention section is only for the enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms a prior art that would already be known to a person skilled in the art.